Post by Sunshine on May 22, 2009 6:41:49 GMT -5
Long Appeals Record Suspension
Posted May 21, 2009 3:05 PM By MARK LONG(AP)
CONCORD, N.C. (May 21) - NASCAR driver Carl Long appealed his record suspension on Thursday, allowing him to return to work at Lowe's Motor Speedway for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600.
NASCAR suspends Carl Long 12 Sprint Cup races, and fines his crew chief $200,000, after the engine was found to be too big at Lowe's Motor Speedway this past weekend. Check out other recent stars who have run into trouble for cheating recently.
Long filed his appeal at the speedway, met with Sprint Cup Series director John Darby and then went back to work.
NASCAR deferred Long's 12-race suspension until his June 2 appellate hearing, a move that will let the part-time driver maintain his job.
On Wednesday, NASCAR suspended Long for 12 races, docked him 200 points - 200 more than he has this season - and fined crew chief Charles Swing $200,000 for having an illegal engine at Lowe's last weekend. All were record penalties for the sport. Team owner DeeDee Long, Carl's wife, also was suspended 12 races and docked 200 owner points. All three of them were placed on probation until Dec. 31.
Long was still trying to comes to terms with a ruling that threatens to end the racing career of a guy who struggles to pay his bills every month.
"I'm still in shock," Long said. "I just hope the people in the hearing ... common sense has got to take place. I can bash NASCAR and everybody around me, but let's exhaust every avenue there is to exhaust and then if we have to go out and have a parade about it, we will."
Long, who raced 23 times from 2000 to 2006, said he bought the engine from a "reputable builder" who fields motors for several Cup teams and said all the paperwork showed it was within NASCAR specifications. It malfunctioned during practice for the All-Star race on Friday, prompting the team to change engines.
Under NASCAR rules, any engine removed from a car is subject to inspection. The owner, though, has the option of turning the engine over to NASCAR or loading up his car and leaving the track. So had Long even suspected the engine would fail NASCAR's exam, he said he would have left the speedway.
Instead, he turned the engine over without hesitation.
He failed to qualify for the All-Star race with a backup motor, and then learned on Wednesday how costly the entire trip turned out to be.
NASCAR measured the engine at 358.17 cubic inches, .17 more than the legal limit.
"If you talk to any of the race teams in the garage, they'll be real quick to tell you you don't mess with engines, tires and fuel," Cup Series director John Darby said. "We've all heard that for years and years and years."
Darby said NASCAR hasn't dealt with an oversized engine since car owner Junior Johnson and crew chief Tim Brewer were suspended for 12 weeks in 1991. Their suspensions were reduced to four weeks on appeal.
Long would like the same leniency.
He also would like to see Swing's fine reduced, because if a crew chief doesn't pay a fine, it falls to the car owner. And in this case, that's the Longs.
"I can never pay it," Long said. "It won't ever happen. I'll cease to have a NASCAR license. ... All my life, everything I've done has all been to race, and I've really wanted to set NASCAR records - not this one."
Posted May 21, 2009 3:05 PM By MARK LONG(AP)
CONCORD, N.C. (May 21) - NASCAR driver Carl Long appealed his record suspension on Thursday, allowing him to return to work at Lowe's Motor Speedway for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600.
NASCAR suspends Carl Long 12 Sprint Cup races, and fines his crew chief $200,000, after the engine was found to be too big at Lowe's Motor Speedway this past weekend. Check out other recent stars who have run into trouble for cheating recently.
Long filed his appeal at the speedway, met with Sprint Cup Series director John Darby and then went back to work.
NASCAR deferred Long's 12-race suspension until his June 2 appellate hearing, a move that will let the part-time driver maintain his job.
On Wednesday, NASCAR suspended Long for 12 races, docked him 200 points - 200 more than he has this season - and fined crew chief Charles Swing $200,000 for having an illegal engine at Lowe's last weekend. All were record penalties for the sport. Team owner DeeDee Long, Carl's wife, also was suspended 12 races and docked 200 owner points. All three of them were placed on probation until Dec. 31.
Long was still trying to comes to terms with a ruling that threatens to end the racing career of a guy who struggles to pay his bills every month.
"I'm still in shock," Long said. "I just hope the people in the hearing ... common sense has got to take place. I can bash NASCAR and everybody around me, but let's exhaust every avenue there is to exhaust and then if we have to go out and have a parade about it, we will."
Long, who raced 23 times from 2000 to 2006, said he bought the engine from a "reputable builder" who fields motors for several Cup teams and said all the paperwork showed it was within NASCAR specifications. It malfunctioned during practice for the All-Star race on Friday, prompting the team to change engines.
Under NASCAR rules, any engine removed from a car is subject to inspection. The owner, though, has the option of turning the engine over to NASCAR or loading up his car and leaving the track. So had Long even suspected the engine would fail NASCAR's exam, he said he would have left the speedway.
Instead, he turned the engine over without hesitation.
He failed to qualify for the All-Star race with a backup motor, and then learned on Wednesday how costly the entire trip turned out to be.
NASCAR measured the engine at 358.17 cubic inches, .17 more than the legal limit.
"If you talk to any of the race teams in the garage, they'll be real quick to tell you you don't mess with engines, tires and fuel," Cup Series director John Darby said. "We've all heard that for years and years and years."
Darby said NASCAR hasn't dealt with an oversized engine since car owner Junior Johnson and crew chief Tim Brewer were suspended for 12 weeks in 1991. Their suspensions were reduced to four weeks on appeal.
Long would like the same leniency.
He also would like to see Swing's fine reduced, because if a crew chief doesn't pay a fine, it falls to the car owner. And in this case, that's the Longs.
"I can never pay it," Long said. "It won't ever happen. I'll cease to have a NASCAR license. ... All my life, everything I've done has all been to race, and I've really wanted to set NASCAR records - not this one."